


Everything Stays But It Still Changes

by hummingrightalong, itslifethatscaresmetodeath



Series: The Whisperers. [4]
Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Abraham Ford Lives, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 19:29:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18430598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hummingrightalong/pseuds/hummingrightalong, https://archiveofourown.org/users/itslifethatscaresmetodeath/pseuds/itslifethatscaresmetodeath
Summary: In honor of Tom and his new look, Jesus gets an impromptu haircut. I know it's painful but hair grows back :) and in my Canon fix its, justice is always served.





	1. Ever So Slightly, Daily and Nightly

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my whisperers fix it/ftwd crossover universe but it's stands alone. Team family had moved north, finally fed up with all the bullshit and hoping a change of scenery will bring less drama.  
> Rating may change?  
> It also won't let me make personalized tags so I can't mention who lives but I have strong feelings about the show runners and their life choices.  
> Troy Otto...a polarizing character for some but people grow and change and become more than they were. I love him so he's here and present in all of my crossovers.

He'd pulled a move straight out of the movie Tangled. When the man fisted his fingers in Paul's hair, jerking him backward, his first thought was to make a joke about buying him dinner first but the action had been very, *very* effective and he suddenly didn't feel like running his mouth was the best idea for once. Especially when both of the man's companions were bearing down on him, the sun glinting off the sharp edges of their blades. 

The one who had the grip on his hair was talking shit but Jesus ignored him. He knew it'd just be more of the usual bunch of bullshit this kind of asshole always pulled out about how he'd been as easily caught as his 'pretty' appearance implied he would be. Then there were some lewd commenta suggesting he might be more useful dead than alive - 'if you know what I mean'. 

Yeah, they were all picking up the unoriginal bullshit he was throwing down. Jesus found himself rolling his eyes. 'Go ahead, underestimate me. That'll be fun'. He just manages to keep the thought inside his head and not let it tumble out his mouth. He'd hate to ruin the surprise...

Of course, in his current predicament, they'd never get the pleasure of experiencing it for themselves so he needed to get a move on. He decides to test the man's grip once more. Yep, *very* effective. And completely avoidable. He'd have time to be irritated about it later. 

Maybe the ties he always used to keep his long locks up while he was out and there was the possibility that he'd have to fight hadn't been as secure as he'd thought. Maybe when he'd been tackled to the ground after a cheap shot, the ensuing struggle had been a little more rough than it seemed - he wasn't used to anyone getting the upper hand on him, he'd have to work on his training when he got home.

*When* he got home. Because no way in hell was he going to die (or worse) out here in the woods. Not like this. Not because of these douchebags. Not fucking today. 

So he reached back, wrapped his hand around the hair at the base of his skull like he did every morning when he put it up but this time, his left hand reached for the one of the sharp little daggers sheathed at the side of his belt. Within seconds, he was free, his mind and body working together on autopilot to have the three men lying unconscious at his feet. He still didn't like killing - they'd tried to kill him but by the looks of them and the desperation they'd shown as they fought, he had to at least give them a chance to explain.

But as he secured their wrists behind them and prepared to radio into Odessa where some of the others were working to finally get everything up and running, he looked down at the forest floor, cocked an eyebrow. what the - oh shit. His hair had grown to reach almost the small of his back in the time since they'd arrived in Washington. And there, at his feet, scattered about the leaves and twigs were the nearly two foot long strands. 

As the last few moments of the fight came back to him, he reached up to confirm that...yep, he'd done exactly what he thought he'd done, his hair cut off to just below his ears. It hadn't been this short since about 4 and a half months into the infection. He'd stopped cutting it when he left New York, hadn't bothered since, especially after he and Aaron had gotten together. 

Aaron had a special affection for his 'curtain' - as the other man liked to call Paul's hair. Loved to smell it, loved waking up with it splayed out over his own face. He loved the way it fell over his shoulders and blocked out the world when Paul rolled them over in bed, straddling his hips, his hands braced against his chest...Paul hoped his husband was paying even better attention this morning than usual because *that* wasn't gonna be happening for a while. A long while. Fuck.

The man responsible for what Jesus knew was going to result in that terrible, devastated kicked puppy look on his husband's face was starting to come around. "Hair pulling? Dude, bitch move at best. Yeah, you're still in the land of the living. Maybe not when my man gets his hands on you..." he laughs, only slightly bitter, brings the walkie talkie up and presses down on the button to talk. "Hey, this is Jesus, I've got a situation on the perimeter, north side of the town, the residential area not too far from the library."

Maggie is the one to answer him, a slightly panicked quality to her voice. It made him feel a little guilty. Ever since the incident at the graveyard back in Virginia, his best friend had been - a little... paranoid? Overprotective maybe? But it also feel kinda nice that someone actually cared that much..."Are you ok? I'm sending Abraham and Sasha to your location... Jesus, are you ok!?"

He'd kind of spaced out, his finger tips still twisting the ends of the what was left of his hair, like he still couldn't believe it was real. "Maggie, I'm fine. nothing I couldn't handle. Just 3 assholes making trouble. They're secured."

"Don't scare me like that, damn it!" she scolds and he can't help laughing a little.

"Sorry, I just...well, you'll see. It's nothing serious, I'm not injured but...you'll see"

He doesn't hear her respond because Abraham and Sasha have arrived, the sound of their approaching steps coming to an abrupt halt a few yards behind him "Hands where I can see em!" Abraham shouts and Jesus tries not to laugh but does as he's told. He can hardly blame them..."Now turn around real slow and don't try nothin'."

He hears Sasha start to ask her boyfriend, "Where the hell is -" 

"Jesus? it's a long story. don't ask..." Paul says, smiling, "Can I put my hands down now?" His friends both nod, mouths slightly agape. Well, shit, if this is *their* reaction, he hates to think of what's waiting for him at home. "A little help?"

They both come to their senses almost immediately, hauling two of the assailants to their feet, Jesus taking charge of the third, most guilty party, at least in his opinion. 

He should have known Maggie'd be the one to come running, only noticing once she'd checked him over thoroughly for injuries. She knew better than to trust him enough to take his word for it. But when she does notice, she gasps, hand over her mouth. She even takes a step back.

"That bad, huh?"

"No!" she exclaims, remembering herself and her manners. Again, not that he can blame her. "It's just...a shock. Aaron is gonna be -"

"Trust me, I know..." he says, sounding a little defeated. And for the rest of the day, no one mentions it, like it's a giant elephant following him everywhere he goes. 

When after a couple hours Jesus finds himself starting to feel a little self conscious about it, he understands why. He catches his reflection in a storefront window and doesn't even recognize himself but shakes it out and tugs the hat he keeps with him over his head. He'd been *so* focused on Aaron's reaction that he'd forgotten to let himself to react to it too. Somehow, the hat only makes the difference even more noticeable and he sighs. 

"It's not like he's gonna dump you. He didn't marry your hair, dude." Enid is standing beside him watching him watch his reflection. He laughs. He *knows* that. "Oh, it's bugging you for *you* reasons, huh?" she asks, and he wonders how she can be so perceptive and so young at the same time. She hugs him. "It looks fine, just different and you're you, here with us in the new world making it work. You're ok." Again, she's still *so* young but somehow knows exactly what to say. She's cut staright throught to what's really weighing on him. The Commonwealth had been a mind fuck, giving him an unexpected and unpleasant blast from the past but he'd healed and this was going to be ok too. "Love you," Enid says, kissing his cheek and she's off. 

"I love you too..."


	2. In Little Ways, Everything Stays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron reacts.

The theme of the day is what Aaron's reaction will be, so admittedly Paul takes as long as possible to reconnect with him. Fortunately, the Odessa compound is huge and they both have responsibilities there.

As Maggie had told him, he couldn't wear that hat forever, certainly not the time it would take for his hair to grow back.

He feels a little like he's on the way to the gallows, heading toward the little apartment building Troy had built up. He's already had his two youngest children, Dexter and Eli, scream like banshees when he tried to take them back from their babysitter. He was just pushing back the tears of a parent that's traumatized their kid with a haircut for the first time when he runs into Gracie playing with the Otto kids. She's a little older, and for how slightly ditzy he likes to joke his pretty blond little girl is, she can be incredibly observant- at the worst times.

"Dad..." the tiny blond tilts her head, seeing some of the short hair just long enough to be sticking out from under the hat. "Daddy's gonna..."

"I know, you gonna help me out sweetie?" She shakes her head hard, taking off like a shot. She's not going to be on the hook for this. Traitor.

***

Of course Aaron is a little panicked when he sees him. He notes the tired eyes, the signs of a fight. 

"Heard some static on the radio earlier... everyone assures me you were busy but alright...what happened? Someone get the drop on you" Aaron reaches out to hold him, Paul quickly sidestepping, holding up a hand. 

"More like someone got the better of me - I'm not hurt, honestly I'm fine." The other look that breaks his heart - the panic in those eyes. And it's only getting worse from here. "One of them...my hair came loose and he thought he'd use that against me

"Bitch move." Paul almost laughs at that.

"So anyway, I...I just reacted," Paul gets it out as quickly as possible. He takes off his hat and shakes out what's left of his hair.

"Oh." Come on, don't do it baby, Paul wills his boyfriend to stop with the kicked puppy eyes. And he does, but it quickly turns to rage. "Is this asshole alive?"

"Aaron!" He's pretty sure Aaron is just venting, and whatever passes briefly through his normally comforting eyes is there and gone just as quickly. Aaron is big on believing in *people*, always has been, but he doesn't possess the same patience and tendency to allow second chances like his boyfriend. Especially if it involves his family. Anyone that wrongs them better not cross Aaron, yet the man responsible was currently not in the position to run. "Yes. In the cell for the moment. You know it's Troy's problem, you'll have to wait...ask for permission..." It was one of the only rules Troy had, his compound, his rules - and the survivors from Virginia were kind of relieved at that, none wanting a repeat of the Ricktatorship disaster. They didn't know Troy's past and didn't need to. They knew him now, that's what's important.

Paul lets himself be held then, Aaron's nose pressed into what's left of his 'curtain'. He's felt over for other damage before Aaron whispers, "I don't think he'll stop me..."

"You *can't* - and you're not going to - actually kill a man for making me cut my hair." Paul smirks but Aaron steps back a little to give him a look that says 'why not' and 'who exactly is stopping me?', maybe a little 'let me'. He's not sure if he's just being dramatic, knows this is just as much about someone putting him in danger. Even though Aaron is very much mourning the opportunity of his daily ritual, holding Paul close from behind while he's getting his morning coffee, gently taking a handful of loose locks and breathing in deeply. 'You smell better than the fresh coffee' is practically his morning mantra, followed by his kissing the back of his neck. Paul may be a little grumpy in the morning before caffeine and sex, but being a part of that ritual had practically turned his boyfriend into a wild animal in the morning. He's had to remind him more than once when the kids are up that Gracie has now seen recordings of documentaries where wild lions did the same thing to their mates before daddy covered her eyes and skipped that section of the program.


	3. Everything Stays Right Where You Left It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron makes Paul feel better.

As Paul watches from just outside the doorway to the adjacent bedroom where Eli and Dexter sleep, he rambles on about how the hair will grow back quicker now, healthier. On one hand he’s trying to distract himself from the way the two infants have clung to Aaron the entire day, crying or screaming when Paul gets close. 

Eli’s had Paul’s eyes, and thus Aaron had make it a point to form a strong bond with him, wanting to raise little Paul 2.0 better, with a healthy happy family. Where he always felt safe and loved. Dexter, on the other hand, had been attached to Paul since they’d found him on the road, one of his birth parents dead and risen, the other very close to death, managing to hang on to protect her infant son until the last moment. When Aaron had brought the little redhead back to his boyfriend, despite still recovering from wound he’d gotten during the first of The Whisperer attacks, he did as much as he could and spent almost all his time with him. 

Of course, he’s also desperately trying to reassure his biggest baby, who might be the most attached to the long hair and had never in all their years knowing each other seen the other like this. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

Enid had already warned Aaron, her dear friend and someone she thought of as another parental figure (he and Maggie spent equal time worrying after her, especially after Glenn had died), that Paul was feeling a little ‘messed up’ about the new look. 

Of course he did. Any major change to your appearance could be traumatic. Hair is just hair but it's also kind of not. And it's not like Aaron needed to be reminded that changes to you body are difficult, especially when he catches the shy way Paul responds to his attentions after he’s put the kids to bed. *Oh, no way babe.*

Trying to rush into a distraction wasn’t happening, especially not with Paul self consciously tucking his hair behind his ears and avoiding Aaron’s eyes. 

Aaron was going to show him he was still gorgeous and loved, and make him believe it. He catches Paul's hand before he’s got time to flick the lightswitch off, holding it and guiding him to bed. 

Facing one another, sitting up in bed, Aaron starts by ridding Paul of his clothing, checking one more time for bruises from fighting, kissing every tiny mark or scratch those assholes might’ve left. Paul played hard, and was tough when it came to pain, so he just laughs and jumps a bit when a kiss to a spot tickles a little. 

“Watch it, Tiger…” The warning is cut off by Aaron returning his attention to the new ‘do, good hand tangling in the short locks, running his fingers through the graying hair at his temples. They’re his absolute favorite, and he’d like to say that it’s because they’re a sign that they’ve survived through a lot and it was a good sign they were going to grow old and happy with their growing family. He’d like to be *that* good a guy, but really he just thinks they’re hot as hell. No better (at least not totally honest) explanation, he tells him exactly that before he kisses him.

Ridiculous goofball that he is, Aaron growls when he pushes Paul onto his back, finding himself between the smaller man’s legs but still taking his time. The eye contact would be a little too intense if Aaron’s playful nature hadn’t made Paul’s face light up, laughter lines crinkling- Aaron kisses those too. They’re another stunning feature, and there might be a slightly deeper reason for it. Paul’s smile, his laughter, can light up a room. It's always so pure and open, his eyes closed, head thrown back. Aaron will make an absolute fool out of himself any way he can to get that reaction, every time.

They spend what feels like hours just kissing, Aaron’s good hand running through Paul’s hair, down his side, making him shiver, whimper, and when he presses a thumb into the hollow of his hip, they both whine as their pelvises grind together. 

Having lost track of time, and both about to come from just bare skin against bare skin, their lips pressed together, they arrange a pillow under Paul’s hips and finally, finally, they’re as close as they can get.

It takes seconds, something that both of them might’ve been a bit humbled by when they were younger but when you’re older, and wiser, and a parent, you cherish any time you get to do this and having someone that can bring you to the edge just by being physically close, by taking their time and kissing you until you’re insane with arousal - its highly underrated.


End file.
